KANSAN.COM / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / TUESDAY, MARCH 2, 2010 / NEWS
3A
DOCTORS (CONTINUED FROM 1A)
INCREASE IN APPLICATIONS
After seeing a steady increase in medical school applicants during the past eight years, the AAMC projects more than 41,500 applicants in 2010. That is about a 23 percent increase from the number of applications in 2002.
Sandra McCurdy, associate dean of admissions and premedical programs, said the medical school applications have nearly doubled since 2001, from 1,283 to 2,429, an increase of almost 89 percent. Nonetheless, during the past decade the medical school has maintained an incoming class size of 175 for all but one year, 176 in 2007.
McCurdy said the class size is determined by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, which is the accrediting authority for medical education programs in the U.S. and Canada. The agency takes into factors such as facilities, funding, personnel and population.
McCurdy said the medical school would like to increase class size but it takes time and is not a decision that can be made lightly or independently. School officials must first make a proposal and provide supporting evidence to the LCME for approval.
"Before requesting approval for an increase, we must be certain we have adequate facilities, faculty and funding, as well as sufficient patients, to provide an optimal learning environment for our students." McCurdy said.
The proposal the School of Medicine presented to the LCME calls for a distributive educational model where the school would expand its program to include four-year programs in Salina and Wichita. Right now, the clinical-skill and patient-based program in Wichita is designed to
accommodate only third-and fourth-year med students. McCurdy said she was not exactly sure how everything would be financed, but said private funding sources were being explored.
RAISING THE BAR
Graduating seniors, who might have a perfect résumé and are eager to learn, find themselves entering a frustrating situation. Even with shortages in doctors and strong qualifications, students are not being accepted simply because of limited class size.
"I think it's more competitive than it's ever been to get in because the applicants are just that much stronger," McCurdy said. "Every year we turn away lots of people that we could have just as easily put in the class."
Straight As and decent Medical College Admission Test scores were not enough for Fast. After being turned down the first two times, she said it was frustrating, because she worked her whole life to get in to medical school only to be put back another year.
"They said they had a lot of applicants they could have accepted, so they took the best of the best because everything was so full right then." Fast said.
After being rejected the first time, Fast bolstered her resume by working at a clinic and conducting research in Wichita. She said her clinic experience really helped her know what she wanted to do and prepare her for what she was getting into.
Now after her hard work and patience, she will enroll into the medical school in the fall, with much relief.
- Edited by Jesse Rangel
Time needed to increase medical school enrollment by 30 percent
Doctor shortage timeline
Growing evidence of future workforce shortages leads AAMC to call for a 30 percent increase in enrollment
2007-
2014
Expansion requires additional capital, construction and/or renovation of classroom space,and faculty
Four years of medical school
Three to seven years of residency training
2015
If the 30 percent increase is achieved, 5,000 additional students will enter U.S. medical schools in 2015
2019
Class of 2015 completes medical school and begins residency training
2022-2026
Class of 2015 begins to enter physician workforce; some M.D.s will pursue an additional 3 to 7 years of subspecialty training before they enter the workforce
The Application Process
Applying to American Medical Schools can be a grueling process. The University of Kansas School of Medicine is no exception. Its requirements include:
1. Medical College Admission Test (MCAT)
2. American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS)
The AMCAS verifies the academic record section of the application based upon official transcripts from all colleges and universities from which applicants have earned college credit.
3. An separate application for the University of Kansas School of Medicine
4. Letters of recommendation
Three to five requested from a variety of sources-faculty, employers, supervisors, etc
5. Personal interviews
Includes two 30-minute interviews conducted by one or two members of the interviewer panel
Source: the med school website, www.kumc.edu/som/
Application Timeline
Date
multiple May June August 1
Applicants are encouraged to meet periodically with their pre-med adviser to ensure that all application requirements and deadlines are being met.
September 1
Mid-September
October 1
October 15
October - February
October 15
November 15
March
Event
AMCAS application available online AMCAS applications submitted online Last date to submit AMCAS application for EDP (July 1 strongly encouraged) EDP file completion deadline
FDP notification
MCAT administered
Last date to submit AMCAS application
for regular decision (September 1
strongly encouraged)
Regular decision interviews
Last date to submit AMCAS application
for MD/PhD Program
Deadline for completion of regular
decision and MD/PhD application files
Regular decision notification
Source: the med school website, www.kumc.edu/som/
Kourtney MHorton, a freshman from Topeka, signs a KU flag in support of student veteran Clay Westorland who was recently deployed for his second tour in Iraq. John Duncan, a senior from Newton and a member of the Collegiate Veteran's Association, said donations are taken for care packages that will include snack foods and entertainment items. The organization plans to table every time a member is deployed.
Signing support
STUDENT SENATE
Students of Liberty to back Envision
Adam Wood, a senior from Lawrence, ran for president under the coalition in 2008 and 2009. He said this was the first time a coalition had endorsed another since he's been at the University.
Students of Liberty announced today that it is endorsing Envision for the 2010 Student Senate elections.
Wood said Students of Liberty is not running a candidate this year mainly because of a lack of funding.
Wood said Envision is
focusing on several issues that Students of Liberty focused on, such as no student fee increases and more transparency in senate.
FEES AND CUTS
He said he didn't want to run a campaign again until he could properly oversee it and until the coalition could put as much effort into it as possible.
"This year, unlike other years, they're pretty much advocating a lot of the same things as us," Wood said. "In a more pragmatic sense, we can get a fair amount of our platform ideas accomplished."
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — University of California students have traveled to the state capital to protest steep fee hikes and cuts to higher education funding.
The demonstration comes three days before a planned "National Day of Action for Public Education."
Cali. students to protest at capital
Annie Vangsnes
Associated Press
Special K
Freshman Mike Zielinski, Naperville, Ill. and right Art Donovan, Chicago, Ill. paint the letters outside of the Kappa Sigma house Monday afternoon on Emery Drive. Kappa Sigma will be hosting their annual Mother's Weekend this week.
Adam Buhler/KANSAN
JOURNALISM CAREER FAIR
YOUR FUTURE IS WAITING.
Graduation is just around the corner and you need to figure out the next chapter of your life. You're looking for a way to land your first job. You're wanting to find a great internship but don't know where to start. It's March and you're nervous about getting a job or internship. The uncertainty of the economy is adding to your worries. Plus, you have two papers and a group project due this week.
We have an easy, fun way to accomplish your career goals — attend the 2010 Journalism Career Fair. It's a user-friendly place to network with professionals in journalism-related fields such as advertising, broadcast, marketing, newspaper, online and magazine. The fair is open-house style, so you can stop by between classes. Don't miss out on this opportunity to start planning for your bright future!
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3, 2010
10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
KANSAS ROOM, SIXTH FLOOR, KANSAS UNION
- ALL KU STUDENTS WELCOME
The University of Kansas
- PROFESSIONAL ATTIRE
WILLIAM ALLEN WHITE
SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM
& MASS COMMUNICATIONS
pipelineproductions.com
Thursday March 4
moe.
Saturday March 27
Patty Griffin
Buddy Miller
Sunday April 25
Pretty Lights
Gift of Gab
LIBERTY HALL
644 MASS 749-1972
- SEE YOU THERE!
Tues March 2
RED WANTING BLUE
Wed March 3
DUBSKIN
(Featuring Cory Eberhard of Pretty Lights)
Spankalicious
AMERICAN AQUARIUM
Come On Go With Us
The Deedles
Fri March 5
BOOMBOX
EZ Brothers
Sat March 6
DIRTFOOT
Sonic Sutra
Sun March 7
Thurs March 4
BLACK JOE LEWIS
& the Honeybears Tues March 9
FRONTIER RUCKUS
Sunflower Colonels
Wed March 10
FUTURE ROCK
Deep Machine • Prep School DJs
BOTTLENECK thebottlenecklive.com
Sat April 17
Citizen Cope
The MIDLAND
1228 Main St.-KC, MO